Episode 127 (Manga)
Synopsis Earlier on the same stormy night, in Midland's capital of Wyndham, the King of Midland, who is on his deathbed, asks for Charlotte. The court doctor orders Owen to fetch her. As he passes through the King's court, Owen overhears the nobles whisper that Charlotte will soon be made Queen, seeing as the King is so near death. They suspect that Charlotte will appoint a regent in her place. The last thing Owen hears before moving out of earshot is that Foss has not done anything drastic since the Queen of Midland's assassination, almost as if he has been removed from power. Owen walks away from them, disgusted that the nobles are so self-centered when, all over Wyndham, commoners are succumbing to the plague. He marches to the end of the hall, where Foss is waiting to deliver a cryptic message: "The Falcon will come again". Riding his horse across the main castle grounds, Owen remembers how, following the hawk dream the whole population experienced, the priests of the land energetically claimed that it was a revelation sent by God. Owen has reached Charlotte's tower but is restricted access to her room by her handmaidens. They explain that Charlotte has barricaded herself in her room for the past five days and refuses to leave. As per her orders, the handmaidens are only to let one person into her room - Griffith, should he ever return. Inside her room, Charlotte is laying on her bed, clutching the two lodestone figures of the lady and the knight. Owen addresses her through the large wooden door to her room, asking her to be beside the King of Midland as he dies, per the King's command. Charlotte begins to cry and refuses to go, saying that she doesn't think of the King as her father anymore. The King, meanwhile, is having visions caused by his delirium. He is sitting on his throne in the throne room, but the surrounding walls don't support a roof. The room is under the open sky. The King's breath is visible in the frigid air. He asks for a fire to be lit, but each time he commands it, soldiers simply appear, guarding him from an unknown threat. He then sees Charlotte in front of him, his source of warmth, and staggers towards her, but the soldiers guarding him block his path. As he watches in horror, an enormous white hawk swoops down into the room and wraps its wings around Charlotte. Its head morphs into what is unmistakably Griffith's, though his face lacks any features, besides his long white hair and smile. The King stares in awe at this hybrid creature of the man he hated, wondering whether he, the King, had been waiting for a savior such as this hawk to free him from his prison of a throne. An intense clap of thunder booms its way over Wyndham, as though a herald signaling the King's death. On the distant hills overlooking Wyndham, a gigantic force of soldiers makes its way towards the city. There are footsoldiers, mounted pikemen, siege towers and armored elephants among their ranks. They are not from Midland. Characters in Order of Appearance * King of Midland * Owen * Foss * Anna * Charlotte